First contact from China

I'm slightly annoyed, because my earlier post disappeared, and blogger conveniently saved a blank draft for me.

But yeah, we're here. We arrived safe in KunMing, had a ball of a time eating (the guys cooked,while the girls laboured, characteristic?) and listening to world view talk and meeting some of the students from the local university. We had a ... interesting look at budget cost trains as we traveled on the overnight to Dali (to be woken up by singing Chinese men, totally refreshing) and we're now sitting pretty in a 200 year old (renovated) hotel.

God is gracious, God is great.

Cheers

About Us.

The Group is basically comprised of 7 individuals who love God, and would like to share God's love with the people in China.

The Head Nurse - Yen Ping
The 'Special' Teachers - Geraldine and Joceline
The ... - Xiao Xi
The Accounted for Artistic Lawyer - Betty
The Eccentric Doctor - Bernard
The Tired Photographer - Vinsant

Profiles to come.

Barriers for the Gospel

Adapted from:

http://www.joshuaproject.net/

and

http://www.chsource.org/Hidden%20China.htm

There are various barriers for the spread of the gospel in China. One of the biggest problems is the cultural barrier. In terms of language, many different languages and dialects are spoken in China, and there are further regional dialectical differences. These often pose as a barrier for the understanding and acceptance of the gospel. Some believe that the gospel can penetrate into each people group cluster once indigenous believers are mobilized to spread the gospel, but this may not be so. On top of the language barrier, there are also differences in the customs and cultures of the different people groups in China. Containing nearly half of China’s minority groups, Yunnan presents itself as a prime example of this barrier.

Accessibility also poses as a problem, as there are many mountainous areas and rural places which are cannot be reached easily. Besides physical accessibility, there is also the lack of available Christian radio, television and translated literature in some areas. Illiteracy prevalent in some people groups is also a challenge.

Persecution plays a part in hindering the spread of the gospel too, and it can come not only from the government, but also from the local people. Fearful memories of Christians being persecuted for their faith may hinder some from accepting the gospel. Conformity to traditional society and resistance to “foreign” thinking also prevent openness to the gospel.

Population Overview

Yunnan is a microcosm of China in the areas of minority affairs and nationality relations. The province has 25 minority groups, nearly half of the country’s total (56 ethnic groups). Over 12 million of the people belong to one branch or another of these minority nationalities. The majority are Tibet-Burman peoples, such as the Yi, Hans, Naxi, Jingpo, Tibetan, Lahu, Lisu, etc. The Dai and Zhuang peoples inhabit the south, while the Miao and Yao the southeast hills. Wa and Bulang-Mon-Khmer people take the southern jungles. The Bai live in the old Nanzhao domain, while the Hui inhabit various parts of the province. Some Mongols occupy a few villages near Tonghai in central Yunnan.

The Religions of China

Adapted from: http://archives.tconline.org/Stories/June02/religions.htm

Of China’s population of 1.26 billion:

And from: http://eng.bofcom.gov.cn/bofcom_en/5190404068102635520/20061114/83906.html

Characteristics of the religions in Yunnan

The religions in Yunnan are different from those of the inland provinces in the following three aspects. These features arise due to the close connections of China with various other nations and regions.

Firstly, Yunnan has followers from all five influential religions, namely Buddhism, Islam, Catholicism, Protestantism, and Daosim. There are also many branch sects and primitive religions.

Secondly, the religions in Yunnan tend to be greatly influenced by the local ethnic cultures. Examples abound of unique Buddhist and Daoist practices and beliefs due to this phenomenon.

Thirdly, all these religions also tend to influence one another. There are temples and shrines that reflect the unity of Daoism, Buddhism and Confucianism.

The Geography

Adapted from: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yunnan

Yunnan is the most southwestern province in China, and the province has an area of 394,000 square km (4.1% of the nation's total). The province borders Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province in the east, Sichuan Province in the north, and Tibet Autonomous Region in the northwest. It shares a border of 4,060 km with Myanmar in the west, Laos in the south, and Vietnam in the southeast.

The elevation of Yunnan ranges from 76.4 meters at Honghe River Valley in Hekou County, to 6,740 meters at Kawagebo Peak in Deqin County.

The province is drained by six major river systems. These are the Yangtze, the Pearl River, the Red River, Salween, and a few tributaries of the Irrawaddy.